Dispenser for attachment to a container of granulated material



April 13, 1965 w. KAUFMAN 7,

DISPENSER FOR ATTACHMENT TO A CONTAINER OF GRANULATED MATERIAL Filed April 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l IIIIIIIIIII \\\\1 I! INVEN-TOR.

WILLIAM KAUFMAN A ORNEY Aprll 13, 1965 w. KAUFMAN 3,177,908

DISPENSER FOR ATTACHMENT To A CONTAINER 0F GRANULATED MATERIAL Filed April 29, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WILLIAM KAUFMAN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3 17 7,908 DISPENSER FOR ATTACHMENT TO A CONTAINER 0F GATED MATERIAL William Kaufman, 575 King St., Port Chester, NY. Filed Apr. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 276,239 9 Claims. (Cl. 141-321) This invention relates to dispensers of the type that are readily attached to containers having granulated material therein, such as soap powder, detergents, fertilizers; or food products such as coffee, grated cheese or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser for box containers or cartons which may be easily attached and detached from the box, and which meters out a measured amount of granulated material into the dispenser without spilling the remainder of the material in the box.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser for granulated material afiixed to a box having an opening aligned with the opening in the dispenser in the filling position thereof, and a closure for the opening in said dispenser which is automatically closed when the dispenser is withdrawn from the container thereby preventing spillage from the box.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser for attachment to a box-like container including a stop for automatically positioning the opening in one plate of the dispenser over the opening in the other plate of the dispenser, and a stop for correctly locating the dispenser openings over the opening in the box.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a cup-like dispenser which is adapted to removably fit over a rotating disc on a container, the rotating disc having apertures which are aligned with an opening in the container upon the rotation of the disc to a preselected position by means of said dispenser.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a dispenser for granulated products that may be used as an attachment on a wide variety of container shapes and materials, and which are reliably eifective for the purposes intended.

The above and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dispenser for attachment to containers of granulated material constructed in accordance with the present invention and having part thereof broken away for purposesof clarity;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, of the dispenser attached to a carton or container inverted for the purposes of pouring a metered amount of the contents into the container through the openings in both the dispenser and the container;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention employing a rotating disc device; and

FIG. is a sectional view taken in elevation view of the device illustrated in FIG. 4, in which the .cup and disc are rotated to a position in which the openings in the disc and the container are aligned and uncovered.

FIG. 5a is a sectional view taken in elevation of the device illustrated in FIG. 4 in which the disc is rotated to a closed position and the cup is removed therefrom.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the dispenser referred to generally by the numeral 10 is clearly seen in FIG. 1. The dispenser may be constructed of a clear thermoplastic material such as polystyrene or an acrylic resin. However, it is to be understood that other types of rigid material such as metal or wood may be used eifectively as the structure material for the dispenser 19. The dispenser is, moreover, preferably fitted with a handle 12 and a generally frusto-conical shaped forward portion 14. The forward portion 14 is so designed that it makes the pouring of the granular material therein much easier since a funnel effect is created by this construction. It should be noted that the bottom of dispenser it is open at 16 and that the bottom inturned edges 17 of the dispenser ltl'are adapted to fit over an attaching fixture 18 with some predetermined friction at points A and B, as seen in FIG. 3, thus forming a friction fit therewith. The attaching fixture 18 is constructed of two plates 20 and 22 loosely secured together with a sliding friction fit. Here, too, there is a predetermined friction existing between the slidable plates 20 and 22. Each of the slidable plates 20 and 22 are provided with openings or apertures 24 and 26, respectively, which may be aligned or closed. Plate 22 is provided with a downturned lip 28 that functions as a stop on the container while plate 29 has an upturned lip 30 which acts as' a stop for the blunt end 11 of the dispenser 10. In addition, plate 22 is provided with a narrow lip 32 at the periphery of one side of the opening 24 which performs the function of a stop for the plate 26 sliding in one direction and additionally functions as a means for aligning the two openings 24 and 26 at the limit of the travel of plate 29 in said one direction.

The device is employed as follows: A carton or container C of a generally rectangular form is provided with the dispenser attachment 10 having sliding plates 20 and 22 with inturned ends 36 and 34, respectively. The configuration of plate 22 measured along the line X is slightly more than the width of the container or box top Y. Thus, the plate 26 and its attached plate 22, forming the attaching fixture 18, may be firmly afiixed to the box or container C bysliding the plate 20 on the top of the box with the inturned ends -34 gripping and biting into the sides of the container as shown at 38. The dispenser 10 having a sliding frictional fit with the attaching fixture 18 is then slid over inturned ends 36 of the plate 22 with a predetermined friction until the blunt end 1 1 of the dispenser 10 engages the upturned lip 39. The dispenser It) then forces the plate 22 to the end of its travel, as

seen in FIG. 1, where the narrow lip 32 engages the periphery of the side edge 33 of the opening 24 in plate 20. Thus, at the limits of the travel of dispenser 10, the openings 24 and 26 in the plates 20 and 22 are aligned with the opening 0 in the container. Thereafter, the container or carton is inverted or turned upside down in order to permit a metered amount of the granulated material to fall through the opening 0 in the container; and openings 24 and 26 in the attaching fixture 18 and finally into'the detachable dispenser 10, said openings 24 and 26 corresponding in shape with the configuration of the opening 0 in the container C. The attaching fixture is is therefore slid onto the carton with inturned ends 34 of the plate 22 biting into the sides of the top of the carton. The fixture 18 with its dispenser 10 is slid along the top of the carton until the blunt end 11 can no longer push the upturned lip 30 and the latter comes to a halt while the narrowlip 32 abuts and engages the edge 33 of opening 24. Thus, the openings 24, 26 and O are aligned. Due to the friction between the various slidable elements in the present arrangement, the parts do not move relative to one another without the application of a reasonable amount of force thereto. The container is then turned upside .down and a measured quantity of material falls into the dispenser 10, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 2a. The dispenser, as seen in FIG. 2, is then withdrawn to the left which, when moving left due to the frictional gripping between dispenser 10 and plate 20, will pull the latter with it until the forward edge of plate 20 in the aperture 24 will abut against narrow lip 32 to close off the aperture 24, as seen in FIG; 2a, thereby eliminating any spillage when the dispenser 10 is finally removed completely from the container C. Because of the funnel shape of the dispenser 10, the granulated material may be easily deposited where required upon removing of the dispenser from the attaching fixture 18 and the container C.

FIGS. 4 and illustrate another embodiment of the teachings of the present invention in which a circular, fixed platform 40 is provided on the top of the container C. The platform is provided with spaced openings F. Rotatable on the platform 40 is a disc 42 provided with apertures K corresponding in size and shape to openings F. Disc 42 also is provided with peripheral projections 44 located diametrically opposed therein. The platform 40 additionally has opposite protuberances 46. A cup receptacle 48 with bayonet slots 50 therein opening into the bottom end thereof is placed over the platform 40 with both protuberances 4-6 and both projections 44 in opposite bayonet slots 50. The projections 44 appear in the portion 50a of the bayonet slot 50 and the cup when rotated in a clockwise direction rotates the disc 42 along with it to a location where the apertures and openings K and F are aligned. The container C is then inverted in order to spill out the required amount of granulated material into the. cup 48. After filling, the cup 48 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction about the pivot 49 with the projection 44 engaging a side wall of the portion 50b of the bayonet slot 50 and the cup is rotated until the apertures K and openings F are closed. In order to insert the above device on the top of container C, a support plate 52 with inturned edges 54 slides over the top of a container with inturned edges 54 of the plate 52 biting into the sides of the top of the container. It is advisable to fabricate the cup 48 of clear plastic, however other. clear or opaque substances will suflice for the purpose of the invention. It should be noted that the cup 48 is latched to the platform 40 due to the insertion of protuberances 46 in the portions 50a in the bayonet slots 50. The cup 48 may be easily and rapidly removed from the platform 40 by means of .a one-fourth turn of the cup in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the latter for filling purposes.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the latter may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described andthat in the illustrated embodiment certain changes in the details of construction and in the arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principle of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

, What I claim is:

1. A dispenser for attachment to a container of granulated material, said container having an apertured top portion. comprising: two superimposed relatively slidable plates each having an aperture therein and'being loosely connected to one another with a predetermined amount after a predetermined travel of said dispenser attachment along the top portion thereof to permit, after inverting said container, the granulated material to fall into said dispenser receptacle in a metered amount, said container being closed after said dispenser receptacle is slidably withdrawn from said plates and one plate automatically slides in a direction to cover the opening in the other plate and the opening in said container.

2. A dispenser for attachment to a container of granulated material as set forth in claim 1, wherein said dispenser receptacle has a front portion in the form of a truncated cone and a handle secured to the rear portion thereof.

3. A dispenser for attachment to a container of granulated material as set forth in claim 1, wherein said dispenser receptacle is constituted of a clear plastic and the bottom slidable plate is provided with opposite inturned ends which grip the sides of the top of said container.

4. A dispenser for attachment to a container of granulated material as set forth in claim 1, wherein the upper slidable plate is provided with a narrow lip adjacent to the aperture thereof whereby the bottom slidableplate slides along the upper plate until a part thereof engages said narrow lip and the apertures in both slidable plates are aligned.

5. A dispenser for attachment to a container of granulated material, said container having an apertured top portion comprising: two superimposed relatively slidable plates each having an aperture therein and being loosely connected to one another with a predetermined amount of sliding friction, a dispenser receptacle open at one end and having inturned flanges at said open end, said inturned flanges adapted to be slid over the side edges of said plates with a predetermined friction, and flange means on one of said plates for grasping and biting into the sides of said container adjacent to the top portion thereof, said apertures in the plates and in the top portion being aligned after a predetermined travel of said dispenser attachment along the top portion thereof to permit, after inverting said container, the granulated material to fall into said dispenser receptacle in a metered amount, said container being closed after said dispenser of sliding friction, a dispenser receptacle open at one end and having inturned flanges at said open'end, said inturned flanges adapted to be slid over the side edges of said plates with a predetermined friction, and flange means on one of said plates for grasping and biting into the sides of said container adjacent to the top portion thereof, said apertures in the platesand'in the top portion being aligned receptacle is slidably withdrawn from said plates and one plate automatically slides in a direction to cover the opening in the other plate and the opening in said container, one of said plates having an upturned lip acting as a stop limiting the travel of said dispenser receptacle.

along said plates.

6. A dispenser for attachment to a container of granulated material as setforth in claim 5, further comprising a downturned lip on one of said slidable plates acting as a stop for said slidable. plate against a side wall of said container.

7. A dispenser for attachment to a container of granulated material, said container having an apertured top portion comprising: a plate having opposite inturned flanges, a fixed platform mounted on said plate and having at least one aperture therethrough, a disc rotatably secured to the top of said platform and comprising at least one aperture therethrough, said platform being provided with at least one circumferential protuberance while saiddisc is provided with at least one peripheral projection, a cup receptacle having a bayonet slot arrangement in the side wall thereof and adapted to fit over said platform and disc with said protuberance and projection in said bayonet slot, said cup receptacle being turned in one direction to rotate said disc by means of said projection in said bayonet slot to a position where the apertures therein and in said platform and box are aligned to permit, upon inversion of said container, a metered amount of granulated material to fall into said cup receptacle, said container being closed upon the rotation of said cup receptacle in the opposite direction and a said disc covering said aperture in said platform, said flanges on the plate slidablygripping the sides of said container adjacent to the top portion thereof.

8. A dispenser for attachment to a container of granulated material as set forth in claim 7, wherein said bayonet slot is provided with a branch extending at right angles thereto which is adapted to capture and hold said peripheral projection of said disc and causes the latter to 5 move upon rotational movement of said receptacle cup.

9. A dispenser for the attachment to a container of granulated material as set forth in claim 7 wherein said platform protuberance is engageable in the transverse portion of said bayonet slot whereby the dislodgement of the cup receptacle from said container is prevented until said protuberance is moved to a position in the vertical portion of said bayonet slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Day 141-321 X Rhein 141-351 X Leather 141-321 X Gottlieb 141-321 Taurman 141-321 X Bailey 141-321 X Obarski et al 141-351 X Morey 141-360 LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. 

7. A DISPENSER FOR ATTACHMENT TO A CONTAINER OF GRANULATED MATERIAL, SAID CONTAINER HAVING AN APERTURED TOP PORTION COMPRISING: A PLATE HAVING OPPOSITE INTURNED FLANGES, A FIXED PLATFORM MOUNTED ON SAID PLATE AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE THERETHROUGH A DISC ROTATABLY SECURED TO THE TOP OF SAID PLATFORM AND COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE THERETHROUGH, SAID PLATFORM BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE CIRCUMFERENTIAL PROTUBERANCE WHILE SAID DISC IS PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE PERIPHERAL PROJECTION, A CUP RECEPTACLE HAVING A BAYONET SLOT ARRANGEMENT IN THE SIDE WALL THEREOF AND ADAPTED TO FIT OVER SAID PLATFORM AND DISC WITH SAID PROTUBERANCE AND PROJECTION IN SAID BAYONET SLOT, SAID CUP RECEPTACLE BEING TURNED IN ONE DIRECTION TO ROTATE SAID DISC BY MEANS OF SAID PROJECTION IN SAID BAYONET SLOT TO A POSITION WHERE THE APERTURES THEREIN AND IN SAID PLATFORM AND BOX ARE ALIGNED TO PERMIT, UPON INVERSION OF SAID CONTAINER, A METERED AMOUNT OF GRANULATED MATERIAL TO FALL INTO SAID CUP RECEPTACLE, SAID CONTAINER BEING CLOSED UPON THE ROTATION OF SAID CUP RECEPTACLE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND SAID DISC COVERING SAID APERTURE IN SAID PLATFORM, SAID FLANGES ON THE PLATE SLIDABLY GRIPPING THE SIDES OF SAID CONTAINER ADJACENT TO THE TOP PORTION THEREOF. 